Jon plays Elton on an Ovation Custom Elite

by Jon Merriman
(California)

Pick and fingers and heart and soul. California native Jon Merriman goes for the melody on his Ovation Custom Elite.

I'm looking for a quality musical experience not just a flashy guitar experience. I want to transcend the instrument and communicate heart to heart with people. I love my Ovation. It really gives me the feel and tone I like. It's the perfect guitar for me.

Comments for Jon plays Elton on an Ovation Custom Elite

Hey,Your a little hard on ovation guitars.Ive played perfessionally as a singer songwriter for over forty years.Ive had Balladerswhen they didnt have invented pickups in them. I had two custom balladers, and now I have an elite T flame for the last six years. Selling two or three for child support payments, but always coming back to them. I live fifteen miles from Martin Guitar. Iwas sponserd by them for strings and gear, and could get their guitars for a great price.They were wonderful to me and we had a great relationship.Playing fom Vermont to Colorado, Main to the Keys, Nothing in wood could hold up to the rigors of the road and have perfectacoustic even tone in any kind of enviorment. Ive owned Tacks,yamahas,acoustic electrics, and they dont hold up.....LAG guitars intrest me because of their different tones of their preamp.Im tough on my guitars and fear they may be too fragile for me. I cant afford the time and money to keep a luthier in business.Mid prised guitars for the road cant even come close to ovations. the celeberty models arent that great,but everything above that perfessionaly is quite addaquit.I love the sound of martins,Tacks and gibsons.But lets face,cheaper priced martinsbreedloves seaulls and taylors are still cheap sounding guitars.ILL buy exspensive guitar for at home when I dont have to take it anywhere,and admire it as a beautiful pieceof furniture.Dont sell ovation short.I had to worry about everything else onstage every night, except my Ovations.Ive always played acousticly and I am always concernd about my acoustic sound. Thanks for letting me vent Bobcat Clayton.

Sep 09, 2011Rating

Ooops..I really dated myself with Heart !!by: Jon Merriman

Yeah, I wish I could rewrite my last comment and leave Heart out of it, oh well...but Graham, thanks for your very clever comment, it really made me smile. This discussion has been taking place as long as Ovation has existed and I'm sure will continue but there is only one bottom line for me and that is how much we all truly love guitars. I mean it. I am truly in love with guitars and I am sure you are also. And that gives us so much in common. Good luck in the future and viva guitars.

Sep 08, 2011Rating

Still No Ovation Fanby: Graham

Ok, ok, ok! Heart? Hmmmm. I like guitars. I like Chet Atkins....Mark Knopfler...Jimi Hendrix...But I LOVE Liona Boyd and Andres Segovia...I love wood. I am fond of organic sound. I just never cottoned on to plastic guitars. Seems to me the only thing missing from these things is Mickey Mouse's smiling face on the top! But hey! You make it sound pretty damned good, so it really can't be all THAT bad, can it?! G

Sep 08, 2011Rating

Hey Graham...give me a secondby: Jon Merriman

I know what you're saying...but I think Ovations are a bit misunderstood or at least there are some unfair comparisons. If you put them up against a good wood acoustic, yes they are not going to come out on top...not even close. But that is the problem, they are not an acoustic. They are truly an acoustic-electric. It's a different type of guitar and there are very few true acoustic-electric left.
Think of the Yamaha APX line of guitars. Those are electric-acoustic and to put Ovations up against them is a fair fight. Acoustic-electrics are really make for cutting through a rock band. Think of the band Heart. You can't really compare them with wood acoustics. For me the Ovation is perfect for playing live in a loud environment like a restaurant but yes a fine wood guitar it ain't. Cheers mate!

Sep 08, 2011Rating

Not an Ovation Fanby: Graham

Yeah, right! Whatever, Jon. The Ovation may be perfect for YOU, but to me and many others, it's a PLASTIC TOY! I despise ALL their stuff!